The star eventually visited an LGBTQ centre in LA, and felt more comfortable putting a label on her sexuality aftwerwards.

"I saw one human in particular who didn't identify as male or female," she told the mag. "Looking at them, they were both: beautiful and sexy and tough but vulnerable and feminine but masculine. And I related to that person more than I related to anyone in my life."

Miley Cyrus on the front cover of Variety (Image: Variety)

Miley is close to her mum Tish, but admitted it was only recently that she felt her mum began to understand her.

"On The Voice, this young girl started crying when she left, because I'm the reason she came out," she added.

"My mom started crying. She was like, 'I'm so sorry about the way I was when you were that age and coming out.' She never understood me until she saw that girl who couldn't be herself. It was very cool."